


A Symbiote's Love

by BurningSlowly



Category: Venom (Comics), Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: 5:6 hurt heal, Amnesia, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Other, Symbruary2021, cannon cannibalism, mix of movie and comic cannon, past Anne/ Eddie, they/them pronouns for venom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:55:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28907433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BurningSlowly/pseuds/BurningSlowly
Summary: Waking up in the hospital without any memory of how he got there Eddie was sure dealing with Anne chewing him out would be his only issue.  He definitely hadn't planned on dealing with the fact that he and this goop thing named Venom had some sort of relationship.(A mix of the Venom movie and comic cannon, but nothing major/ no comic knowledge needed.)
Relationships: Eddie Brock & Anne Weying, Eddie Brock/Venom Symbiote
Comments: 6
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1

“Eddie... Eddie.” 

Blinking the bright lights set into view. Colors then shapes settled until he saw a familiar face

“Anne.” He smiled. 

Her blond hair swooped as she moved forward to take his hands. He must’ve done something incredibly stupid for her to have tears in her eyes. Although he couldn't remember a thing it had to be a bar fight or maybe he pissed off some third-rate mobster type that thought they were hot shit. Or maybe it had been something worse cause she was now full-on crying instead of cussing him out for going so far for a stupid story. 

“Anne?” he repeated his voice tight. Wiping her face with the back of her sleeve she reached into her bag.

“I brought someone who was worried sick about you.” She lifted what looked like a mason jar filled with black jam.

“I know,” She rolled her eyes. “You two can bitch about it later but Venom wasn’t being cooperative at all.”

“Venom?” he asked.

Opening the jar the jam rose the side in spiderweb thin lines slowly morphing into tendrils that made the hair on his neck stand up.

Anne didn't look phased at all as it continued to clump until what looked like two white eyes peered out from the blob. Heart pounding in his ears he nearly missed the low growling voice saying his name with a toothy grin. 

“What the fuck is that!” he screeched hoisting himself to the top of the hospital bed.

“Eddie?” Anne looked at him as if he were the crazy one.

A tendril slowly reached out to him. Thinking fast he kicked the mason jar letting it fall with a solid shatter. 

“What is wrong with you Eddie!”

“Don’t touch it!'' he warned as she bent down.

Her action was hardly needed as the thing slithered over her shoe and up her leg. She didn't even scream or use the chair she had been sitting on as a shield against its movements.

Pillow raised he watched the black goop stretch and expand until it resembled a normal black leather jacket.

“I heard a crash!” a doctor with brown hair said with a worried look. He thought this man could pass for a tv doctor- not the lead but a secondary type.

“Nothing. Eddie’s just not thinking straight” she said in a disappointed huff.

“It could be the medication,” the doctor said placing his hand on Anne’s shoulder far longer than it would be deemed appropriate for a patient- or patient visitor- semantics or whatever didn't matter; that jacket on Anne wasn't real clothing it was something else.

“I can’t just tell him that though,” he thought. One mention of slime that turned into jackets and he was guaranteed a one-way ticket to a padded cell.

“Hey, Eddie.” 

He couldn’t understand why this doctor was talking to him like they knew one another. Other times he ended up in a hospital it had always been met with a disgruntled “Mr. Brock” and a quick check-up by individuals who were intimidated by the way he looked.

“I'm just going to adjust a few things. Once you two are back together V will take care of the rest.”

“What?” 

Was everyone off their rockers?

Nodding to himself the doctor made his way back to Anne, his hands moving to clasp around her waist.

“Stop,” he said, hand clenched into a fist. “I don’t know who you think you are pal but doctor or not you don't lay a hand on another man’s girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend?” Anne gasped her eyes large as though he'd been the one who had grown a second head.

 **Anne** growled the secondary head of black ooze with two white eyes and a large mouth sprouting out of her left shoulder. Those eyes glanced between her and him. It looked pissed off.

He jutted from the bed. “Are you seeing this?” he asked doctor touchy. “Tell me you’re seeing this too.” He didn’t want this to be the day he went insane, he had hoped to have gotten some years with Anne as his wife before going completely off the deep end.

“Now everyone take a breath” the doctor instructed.

How anyone could breathe when being stared at by a very angry monster was unthinkable. And yet all two ...three? of them seemed to have reigned in control of themselves while he was cowering like some kicked puppy. He hated the shaking in his legs. What the hell was the use of all his training, all his strength if he couldn’t use it right now to stop whatever this thing was?

“Eddie do you know where you are?” the doctor asked.

“At the hospital” he answered, eyes trained on the monster.

“Good. Do you know who I am?”

“Should I know who you are?” 

Maybe he really was a tv doctor. It sure felt like a lame episode of a soap opera, if of course, they didn’t have a monster character that had yet to blink.

“Come on Eddie” Anne pleaded. 

Focusing really hard he studied the man’s face trying to rummage through the mental files of people he interviewed for the Daily Bugle but nothing clicked.

“I would guess you look like a Richard or a Dan. Probably a mega geek growing up wore pocket squares until someone pointed out how uncool it was.”

“Eddie” Anne scolded but he was more focused on the way the blob smiled at him and gave a deep chuckle that resembled the sound a Halloween prop would make.

“I'd have you know pocket squares were popular in medical school. But yes my name is Dan.”

He shrugged. “Whatever helps you sleep at night doc.”

 **Nerd** the blob agreed.

This was crazy. How could Anne look so nonchalant about having a talking blob attached to her? It wasn’t like this thing was a pet parrot.

“Alright enough joking around, take Venom back so we can get out of here. I know you both hate hospitals.”

He did hate hospitals but he didn’t trust that blob.

“Why would I take it?”

A deep growl sent him wanting to duck for cover and hurl the heart monitor. Taking Anne by the elbow the doctor whispered something to her. With a worried look, she left the blob fusing back into a jacket.

“I would like to look you over” the doctor smiled motioning to the bed.

“Where is she going?” 

“The cafe.” The doctor said, coaxing him back onto the bed. “Venom hasn’t eaten since you've been here.”

“You named that thing?”

“From my understanding, it came with that name. Despite the name, it's not venomous.”Doctor Dan flashed a light in his eyes. “Squeeze my hands. -Ouch not so tight,” he smiled. “Your vitals look well. You know if you’re fighting there are better ways to deal with it.”

“Me and Anne?”

“No.” The doctor blinked in shock. “You and Venom.”

“Why would I be fighting with that thing? Are you even a real doctor?”

“What’s the last thing you remember?'' the doctor asked suddenly very seriously.

“Not much before waking up here.”

“What do you know?”

“The typical stuff. My name is Eddie Brock. I work as a reporter for the Daily Bugle under Jameson. Living in the Bronx,” Something about Dr. Dan’s face made him stop. “What?”

“You’re currently in a hospital in San Francisco.”

“Why would they take me all the way here? Was I blacklisted from all the hospitals in New York?” he chuckled. “What are you writing down?”

“Eddie, you appear to be suffering from amnesia. I do believe it might be retrograde, I would need to do a few more tests.”

“A-amnesia?” Now, this was really a soap opera. Any second his evil twin would appear.

“It would make sense based on the trauma of the incident.”

“You're pulling my leg, right? So I can't remember getting here big whoop. I hardly remember my college days.” He made a drinking motion figuring a straight lace doctor wouldn’t understand his meaning. 

“Eddie, you've forgotten a much larger chunk than just a day. You think Anne is your girlfriend.”

“She is-”

“-Was” Dan corrected him. And you don't remember Venom... Most things must seem so odd to you.”

“No shit Sherlock. You're talking nonsense.”

“Okay.” Dan took up the seat next to his bed. “Eddie, you haven't lived in New York for years.”

Scoffing he stared at the ceiling. This doctor was crazier than he was. 

“Mind seeing yourself out doc?”

“Rest would be a great idea. I'll check you again later.”

Listening to the retreating footsteps he waited. Counting to a thousand he finally removed himself from the bed. The sooner he got out the better. Thankfully he found a set of his clothes on the side. Quickly changing he left. Resisting the urge to tug his hood over his head he walked down the hall and into the elevator. With a ding, he made it to the ground floor all he had to do now was find-

“Eddie” Anne gasped clutching her bag in one hand and a container of black jello in the other. The leather jacket she was wearing was gone.

“What do you think you're doing?”

“I'm getting out of here. That doctor wasn't making any sense. I'm not sticking around until they decide to poke and prod me like a lab rat.” Grabbing her arm he led them towards freedom.

“Eddie you're being ridiculous you can't just leave.”

“A patient has the right to refuse medical assistance” he countered, seeing the automatic doors ahead.

“You're impossible,” she said reaching into her bag for her phone. He couldn't even ask who she was calling before the person on the other end picked up.

“Dan, Eddie has kidnapped me. Meet at the nearest Burgers.”

“Burgers?”

“What can I say originality is dead” she shrugged. 

With her phone back in her purse, she took control of the pace, now leading him through the parking lot. _“I'm not in New York anymore,”_ he thought, unable to shake the feeling that he was just there yesterday. 

“Hop in,” Anne said, unlocking her car with a _click_ of a button. The car looked to be a few years old but much more expensive than the beaten-up four-seater she had for years. It was strange to mourn the sudden loss of a car that hardly fit him, one that he’d whacked his head on multiple times. One that he lovely called a clown car.

“Come on or do you want to go back?”

“Definitely not,” he said hurrying over to the passenger seat. Curiosity Anne gently secured the container of black jello into the cupholder between them.

“Why are we going to Burgers?” he asked as they pulled up to the barn-looking building with an inflatable burger on its roof.

“The cafe did not have tater tots,” Anne said, jello container in hand. 

Not saying anything he followed her he could use a burger or two. 

“Already reserved a table in the back,” Dr. Dan said the second they stepped in.

He looked around. “How?”

“Short cut.” 

Even out of his coat Dan looked like a complete nerd. Eddie knew his fixation of pointing out such things stemmed from his own insecurities, not everyone fought against their geekish ways as he had. Some people were content to be brainiacs. Anne liked smart people and well, he had become more of a smart-ass over the years.

“Your table is ready,” the waitress said. The whole walk he watched Anne and Dan's hands clasped together. Feeling like a third wheel was confusing. Anne was his girlfriend. Once he got a raise from the Daily Bugle he was going to buy her a ring.

 _“Maybe I didn't get that raise,”_ he thought, fighting to recall anything. If he didn't get a ring it would explain the black-out drinking but it didn't explain the way the two looked so comfortable and happy together. Anne wouldn't have been cruel enough to find someone new right away and she would have rather give up being a lawyer than be a cheater. 

Lost in his thoughts he barely noticed the waitress waiting for his order.

“Biggest burger you got no pickle.”

“On it” she winked.

“You must have a million questions but,” Anne pulled out the jello container. “You trust me right Eddie?”

He did. She never pointed him in the wrong direction. Nodding he watched her open the container and like last time the blob crawled up reaching towards him.

“It'll be alright.”

Fine strings of black touched his fingertips so lightly he didn't think they were real. Then like a spider finding purchase on a shaky leaf, the string-like blob expanded covering his entire hand before seeping into his skin. Turning his hand over he only saw his own skin. 

**Eddie** a low purr came from inside his head. 

Biting down on his tongue he tried not to respond. An overwhelming hunger took over him and all he wanted to do was snatch food from the next table over. 

“What did you do?” 

“It's not bad I just couldn't support Venom much longer. You're the only one who can.”

He gripped onto his growling stomach.“Well, it feels like you gave me a parasite.”

 **PARASITE?** the grunting voice yelled making him cover his ears.

“You shouldn't call him that.”

**Apologize.**

“Sorry?”

“Tots for the table,” the waitress said with a smile. 

Feeling his mouth actually water he shoved a handful of burning tots into his mouth. Again he heard that pleasant low purr. Something about that felt so familiar.

_“That’s crazy.”_

**Not crazy Eddie.**

_“Great, it reads my thoughts.”_

**Tots**

“You should eat more,” Anne encouraged. 

“Why should I?” he asked despite the overwhelming hunger. “Aren't you supposed to starve a parasite?”

Without warning a black tendril wrapped around his burger and shoved it into his mouth.

“Fuck” he choked.

Anne snickered.

“You think this is funny? It's trying to kill me.”

“Venom would never kill you” Anne laughed.

The way she said that almost sounded like... an image of black tendrils forming a hand that laced fingers with his flashed in his head

“ I..” Running a hand through his hair he tried not to think about the way his heart had picked up.

“Eddie,” Anne sighed. It was her hand he should've been holding but as she tapped the back of his hand it didn't spark the same nervous energy that it once did.

“Your memories will come back,” she looked over to Dan. 

“Retrograde amnesia is usually temporary.”

Usually? How long did he have to wait until things made sense?

“In the meantime, Dan and I can check up on you.” She looked to Dan who nodded. “I can stay with you at your place for a bit. If you want.”

“My place? We really aren't together”

She fiddled with the edge of her napkin before straightening it out. “We haven't been together for a while.”

“I'm done eating,” he said, pushing the half-eaten burger aside.

“I'll take you home, Dan-”

“I got it; go on.”

“He seems like a good guy,” he said not knowing what else he could say. 

“He is...We don't have to talk about this now.”

“Of course” He didn't want to talk about how happy she seemed with another person but he had to know why they broke up.

This is where he lived? The apartment was rather bare but it was a step up from a show box of a room. There was a decent size TV, a few DVDs, and an old cd player. A couch and a kitchen tucked in the side.

 **Home** he felt the purr inside of him.

This was too old. He supposed that he should feel relaxed in what was his home but to him, it was like stepping into a stranger’s home. The lack of photos on the walls aided in this feeling. Anne had always forced him to commemorate memories with a photo. He used to be so bothered by the massive collage of them but compared to the naked walls he wasn't sure why he made a fuss about it before.

“Have a seat Eddie” Anne motioned to the couch.

“What happened to us?”

Her face pinched in the way someone would if they sucked a lemon.

“Did I not propose?”

She walked over to the window, running her finger over the dust. “You did.”

“And you said no.” Of course, she said no.

“It...” Sighing, she flopped onto the couch. “It was more complicated than that. I said yes but you...”

“Hold up Anne,” he said through the ringing in his ears. “I think something is wrong with my hearing.”

 **Don't listen** the slowly becoming familiar voice in his head said.

“Why?” he asked.

**It'll hurt to hear.**

“It hurts not knowing what I found myself in” he whispered.

The ringing of his ears stopped. Anne twisted the ring against her finger, her grandmother’s ring. A ring that he believed a second one would take up the opposite hand. 

“The short version is you used my work for a story and I got fired.”

“I wouldn't-”

He wanted to argue but he knew he did ridiculous stupid things for a scoop. Jameson encouraged it. It didn't matter what hoops he jumped through if it meant getting the scoop of the century. And yet,

“I’m sorry.”

“It was in the past.” She waved it off as if it didn't matter but he knew she still felt hurt by it. The squirming almost nauseous feeling had to be his own guilt.

“I shouldn't have done that to you.”

“Well, you know what they say about hindsight.”

She tugged on her gold bracelet. Dan had probably given it to her. Nauseous feeling dousted him.

“Eddie” **Eddie** both Anne and the parasite said.

Why would she still come to him after they broke up? After she found a happier life with someone else.

“I don't feel well.” Clutching a hand over his mouth he tried to force nausea down. “Too many tater tots maybe.”

 **Impossible** the low growling voice said.

“Anne,” he shut his eyes for a second. “is there a way to get-”

“Venom out?” Her eyes looked sorrowful.

“Only for a minute.” He didn’t like Anne and this thing being together but he needed some time to have room to think.

 **No,** the voice said.

Anne leaned close. “Venom we should let Eddie rest.” 

A small head formed as his shoulders. **I’ll be quiet, you rest.**

“I just want to be alone for a bit.”

**Alone not good.**

A flash of himself crying sparked in his head. “I'll be fine.”

“Venom” Anne held out her hand. “Come on you could use more food.”

The poignant way she said food with a tile of his head worried him for some reason.

Nodding black goo seeped through his pores and dripped off onto Anne’s open hand

“We’ll come back in a little while.”

He didn’t want to see her go but she had to for now. 

Leaning against the window he watched the street until she came back into view. A leather jacket rested on her shoulders. Turning she waved at him and walked off. Running his hands over his face he made his way to the bedroom. His room. This was his apartment, his kitchen. 

“All so empty” he muttered. 

Flopping down onto the bed he stared at the ceiling. His mind raced without a clear thought clicking. Shutting his eyes he waited for an answer.

A crash woke him up from his much-needed nap. The odd emptiness in his head was soon filled by the sounds of two voices arguing in the living room. It didn’t take long enough to recognize one of them as Anne’s and the other belonged to that blob thing.

 **Stop confusing him!** the low voice accused.

“I’m not trying to! Dan says I should help jog his memory.”

**Go. We don't need you. You'll steal him away.**

“You know that's not the case Venom.”

Something crashed to the ground. There was no sense in hiding behind his bedroom door. There wasn't much he could do to prepare for the craziness he was about to walk in on. And he really needed to get out there before everything in the apartment was trashed.

“Well you don't see this every day” he joked seeing Anne grapple with her other arms that were covered in the black goo and had a plate ready to join its twins on the floor. 

“Eddie do you remember anything?” she asked hopefully.

“No.”

The plate met the ground with a vibrating crash.

“Eddie, do something,” she said with a face that read ‘hurry up’.

“Like what?” he asked. This thing wasn't like a misbehaving puppy that he could grab by the scruff. 

“Call Venom to you.”

Maybe it was like a dog. “Venom come here.”

A tendril picked up another plate.

“Call it love.”

“Love?”

The tendrils stopped in mid-throw cushioning the plate. A small head with white eyes looked at him. This thing didn't look so horrible, almost cute the way it tilted its head. But calling it love? The pet name sounded so bizarre. It felt heavy in his chest that made his palms sweat a little. He'd never called Anne love. Sweetheart once, but neither of them had felt comfortable sticking with pet names.

“Love” he tested out again.

Venom smiled a toothy smile.

“Why don't you stop redecorating for a bit and leave Anne.”

**You need stronger plates.**

Chuckling he took a step forward. “I'll take your word on that.”

He was getting used to the sensation of tendrils against him. It should've been more worrying how fast he was getting used to this but he had to. This was just like one of his jobs adapting was necessary. Adapting and moving on we're two different things- now was not the time to think that

“Would you like me to stay?”Anne asked

 **No** Venom said.

“It's fine Anne you should get back to Dan.”

“Eddie,”

“You know me quick to spring back on my feet.”

“Yeah,”

**She doesn't believe you.**

It was weird having another voice tell him what he already knew.

“I...” She looked at his hand then at his face. “I could stay. Your couch isn't so bad.”

“I don't think you’d like sleeping on the couch.”

“On no. If I'm staying I get the bed and you get the couch.”

Chuckling he smiled at her. She always knew what to say to make him laugh.

“Ouch” she shook her hand while a tendril retreated into his finger.

“Sorry I don't have control.”

“I know.” She glared at his hand.

“Does it hate you?” he whispered.

**Can still hear you.**

“At the moment we are not seeing eye to eye” she talked directly to the small face that had appeared on his hand.

**Thief.**

“I can see,” he said, clutching his head.

“Venom knows that I am not trying to ruin anything,” she said a bit loudly. “Only helping.”

A long tongue stuck out at her. A flash of another memory hit him; he saw Venom's laughter mix with his. Shaking his head he looked up to Anne's worried face

“It’s fine.”

 **You remember.** Venom pulled its head rising to meet his eyes.

“Not really.”

“If you are starting to remember so soon then maybe all you need is more rest.” Anne smiled. “I'll be back tomorrow.”

 **Not needed** Venom said the goop-like face brushing up against his unshaven chin. **We will be fine.**

Swallowing down the lump in his throat he nodded. If they weren't together then he wasn't her problem anymore. 

“I will see you on Wednesday then.”

“Wednesday?”

“Family dinner” Anne smiled. “That's what you call it. It helps me make sure you're not going overboard with your extra activities and eat more than just tater tots and chocolate.” She stared pointedly at Venom. “I'll see you on Wednesday then. Venom knows the way. If you ever need me call okay.”

“You don't have to drop everything for me.”

“I still care about you, Eddie. Together or not. If I didn't care I would've left your life long ago. **Take good care of him. Always do.** Venom said sounding a little insulted.

Two eyes stared at him as he readied for bed he tried not to pass attention to the way the hair on the back of his neck stood up as Venom moved around him like a snake curling over his shoulders. He should have showered earlier with those unblinking eyes he didn't think he could wash up without noticing its reflection. Silently he held Venom’s gaze in the mirror he was afraid of what things Venom could pluck from his head if he thought too hard. Venom’s own silence was suspicious; so were the two toothbrushes placed perfectly against one another. A black tendril picked up the blue toothbrush.

**Yours.**

“Thanks,” he said taking it. Another tendril held up the tube of toothpaste. It had to be a practiced action but it felt so strange. Anne never-

 **Enough about that** Venom said squeezing the tube a little harder than necessary onto his own brush.

“Sorry.”

A chuckle escaped him as he watched Venom brush his sharp teeth. It was the equivalent of watching an octopus trying to brush its non-existent hair.

**I'm not a pet.**

“Then what are you?”

How a glob could convey emotions so clearly was amazing. And the way it moved...Like a sockpuppet.

 **I’m not a puppet either.** Venom tugged its toothbrush down.

 _“Nice going”_ he chastised himself.

**We are Venom and you are mine.**

Deja Vu hit him but he couldn't place when those words had been spoken to him.

“I'm yours in what way?”

**Do you really want to know? Anne said to not tell you everything.**

If Anne told Venom to not tell him then he shouldn’t push it right now. “Maybe you can tell me another time.”

Silence returned. 

“Do you leave when I'm asleep?” he asked staring at the bed.

**We sleep together.**

He tried his best not to misinterpret those words as the firm guidance of a tendril led him onto the bed.

 **Rest.**

Blankets pulled back he could help laugh at being tucked in. He couldn't remember the last time someone had done this. Not even when he was young-

**Eddie, don't think too far back.**

Venom was right, childhood memories were not what he needed right now. 

**Rest.** A tendril brushed away a bit of his hair. The motion was so gentle he barely felt it but he couldn't stop the sudden pick up of his heart. Venom had to feel it too from the way it leaned closer and for a moment. He wasn't sure if he was afraid or excited to have Venom encroach on his personal space.

 _“Crazy”_ he decided. All of this was crazy. 

Backing off he felt Venom ship back under his skin. Venom wasn't gone he could tell by the strange weight upon his chest like a weighted blanket. He'd never been a hypochondriac before but the knowledge that a living thing was inside him sprouted on thoughts of organs being picked apart. 

**Will not eat you. Will not hurt you. Will always protect you.**

*******

A wheezing sound came closer and closer. All around him was debris. Unable to move he lifted his eyes to just above the brick in front of him. Swirls of red and black made their terrible dance in time to the sound of teeth mashing. And then silence pierced the scene pooling dread inside of him. He needed to move. 

Digging his fingers into the ground he tried to pull his heavy body. 

_Aww look at your pitiful host_ , the warped sadistic voice made him double his efforts.

“Venom! Venom!” he called through a hoarse throat. And then he was developed into darkness. Jutting up from the bed he gulped the air like a drowning man. His whole backside was drenched in sweat.

**Eddie.**

The light clicked on.

Hundreds of black tendrils stretched from him covered every inch of the bedroom. Clasping his head in his hands did little to stop the room from spinning. 

**Safe.**

A hand laid on his. 

**You are safe Eddie.**

“You...” He swallowed. “You saw it too?”

**Dreams... I usually stop them.**

“You do?”

**Too many bad dreams... Too many times we lose each other.**

Not knowing why he curled into the touch.


	2. Chapter 2

Waking up to an apartment you never recalled getting was way better than waking to a hospital bed in his opinion. A lot less ‘you're going to die’ vibes and it came with the added bonus of watching Venom flipping through the channels.

 **Nothing** Venom complained; not even bothering to look away from the tv.

“What are you doing?”

**Nothing good on. Why can't we buy more shows?**

“Unless a lot has changed there will always be a lack of good shows to watch.”

Pouting Venom continued to channel surf. 

Growing antsy he drummed his fingers against the couch. When that got boring he cracked his knuckles. He couldn't see himself trapped up in this apartment all day.

**Anne told me to keep you here.**

“House arrest really? I'm not going to watch you get frustrated at lackluster tv shows all day. I have a job don't I?”

**Yes and no.**

Venom was quickly turning out to be an annoying roommate. “I need to get out,” he argued, slipping on his shoes. “And how am I supposed to afford that place if we don't go to work.”

 **We?** Venom blinked at him.

“Me...I... Whatever. Come on, just turn into a jacket or something and let’s go.”

A strong hand was placed against the door the second he placed a hand on the knob.

**Stay.**

“You want me to remember, don't you? Sitting around here twiddling my thumbs isn’t gonna do a thing.”

 **Alright.** The hand vanished from the door morphing into the same leather jacket he'd seen on Anne the day before. 

San Fran. So much had changed since he last been here or more accurately remembered being here. The pockets of rundown houses and people that would stare you down still existed just now on the other end of the street where stores with displays of new shoes or malls popped out of the ashes of abandoned mom-and-pop shops.

“Where do I work?” he asked, catching the eyesore that was the building of some tech company wedged against the graffitied buildings.

**Here.**

“This place?” There was no way he was one of these hipster-looking twenty-somethings.

**No the streets.**

He’d taken some rough and frankly unwanted jobs in the past but he didn’t think he'd make much of a sex-worker. The police for one would've spotted him out like a sore thumb. 

“Anne dumping me must've done a number on me” he muttered with a shrug. No job was beneath him, he had to pay for that apartment somehow. Looking at his clothing he was sure that no one was going to willingly pick him up like this, except maybe in the Castro. “How do I explain you though?” 

He felt a rumble against his shoulder.

**That's not our job. We protect people.**

“That does sound more likely a choice of career” he laughed at his own stupidity.

**You are taking things well.**

“I grew up in San Fran not too far off from New York; you know, different look, same smell.”

Another rumble of laughter vibrated against his shoulder. 

“I'm not an officer though right? I mean I didn't have an exactly squeaky clean record growing up... Don’t think the police would be so willing to overlook a few things like Jameson did.”

**Not an officer.**

“Alright.”

Further, they walked the more of the city he took in. With all the gentrification he wasn't surprised to see the rows of tents that lined the darkest places of the park. Haight and Ashbury had to be overflowing as well. Thinking of that brought him back to being kicked out of his father’s home. He'd been like these people, living with not much more than the clothes on his back. Of course, other people did not have a well-off father who could pluck him from the street when he saw it fit to have someone pass down the Brock name.

Pausing in his tracks he stared at his reflection in the empty window. “I didn't.”

**What?**

“I didn't crawl back to him did I?” he asked, his voice shaking despite his best efforts. “Is that why I even have an apartment?”

Going to New York he’d swore he wouldn't take any more of his father’s handouts. He was done trying to please the impossible man. And yet he'd returned to San Fran. 

**No. Eddie you haven't seen your father in a long time.**

He breathed a sigh of relief. “Good.” 

The very last thing he wanted was to have to kiss ass to that bastard. 

**We’d never let you go back to him. He was cruel.**

“You've seen my memories then?”

 **Only one without your permission...** Venom admitted. **Hard not to see all in your head.**

He ran a hand down his face. So long he’d been so guarded refusing to let anyone know the lowest points of his life but there was no hiding from Venom. 

_“Why does that not seem infuriating?”_ he thought, shoving his hands into his pockets.

His mind drifted away as he felt his legs take control of themselves or was that Venom?

Venom could manipulate him like a marionette but this too didn't bother him as he supposed it should. It was as if his body knew that it was in good hands or tentacles as the case may be. He thought about running and how that used to help set things in perspective.

He felt his feet hit the ground harder, wind rushing through his hair. Faster down the sidewalk barreling through locals and tourists alike. Further, he needed to go further away from it all. 

**Eddie.**

Panting he grabbed hold of his knees hunching over. Raising his head he noticed the tourist trap that was Fisherman’s Wharf. 

“Somethings never change” he muttered. 

**We come here a lot. When you're upset...**

“I'm not upset now” he whispered. 

Talking to yourself on the streets in the Tenderloin or Haight and Asbury was fine but here not so much. Fisherman’s Wharf needed to be free of that sort of thing for the tourist. Spotting the security guard leaning against the Hardrock Cafe‘s giant guitar he wished that he'd been smart enough to bring headphones.

**Come.**

He felt the pull of his feet forward. The shops around had updated a bit since the last time. There was now a motion simulator experience tucked in the corner beyond the basic collectible and autograph souvenirs that really would feel more at home in So Cal. His feet stopped by the tiny doughnut shop. 

**Chocolate** was all the instruction he got as his hand took out exact change. With a cup of mini donuts in hand, he was pulled the stairs leading onto an overview of the sea. The barking of sea lions went ignored as he gazed into the water.

 **Eat.** His hand guided a donut into his mouth. 

_I love you_ the echo of his own past voice played in his head so quickly that he wasn't sure if it had been him at all. But they were all alone. The group of tourists was all cooing over the sea lions at the far end. 

“I need to sit down,” he whispered, finding the nearest bench. He didn't understand what just happened or the sudden taste of saltwater taffy. “Why did I leave New York?” He’d only stepped back into this life for two days and already he couldn't stop thinking why. This was once his home but going home always meant digging up unwanted things. 

**Start over.**

“What?” he asked, not really expecting an answer. Wasn't he supposed to figure this sort of thing himself?

**Do you not want to know?**

“I do want to know.” 

**You were fired from the Daily Bugle.**

Crushing the cup in his hand he tried to rein in the sense of being a complete fuck up.

**You’re not a fuck up.**

His hand unclenched the cup a little.

“How?”

**Spiderman.**

“Spiderman?” he shook his head. Jameson had been so obsessed with the web-slinger. He had been going against Peter Parker’s articles for as long as he could remember. Still, he didn’t understand.

**Ruined your story thought you were a phony.**

“They fired me because of one bad story?” helmet go of the cup only for it to be caught and pressed back into his hand like a yo-yo. 

**Don't waste food.**

“I gave my everything for that job.” How many times had he put in unpaid overtime trying to outdo himself? How many enemies had he made for trying to take down crooks? Of course, no one cared, especially Jameson, he wasn’t Spiderman.

**We have a new job to keep San Fran safe. Here were heroes.**

“Some hero. I can't believe I dragged myself all the way out here and Anne...”

**You don't remember but she forgave you.**

Scoffing he popped another donut in his mouth. 

**Mopey.**

“Aren't I allowed to mope? I lost my job, my fiance-”

 **Two years ago** He could hear the rolling of Venom’s eyes in that tone. **You were happy before the hospital.**

“Somehow I doubt that.” There was no way he could've been happy losing everything. His father would have had a field day seeing him like this living up to his potential to be the world's useless loser.

His feet jerked forward.

“Wait.”

**We will not mope all day. It’s in the past and you have me.**

Relinquishing control he studied the path his feet took him. He expected Venom to lead him somewhere far away but they only made it a few feet down the sidewalk.

“Alcatraz?” he asked, noticing a ticker in his hand. “Why are-”

 **Shh** Venom hushed as they stepped onto the ferry. 

Dejavu stirred up again as they moved through the water. He hated not remembering; hated this never-ending sense that the things he'd forgotten were important but out of reach.

 **It’s okay.** Tendrils wrapped around his hand forming blackened claws to thread fingers between his own. 

The clawed hands turned into black gloves as they docked. 

“Why here?”

**We came here once before. Playing tourist you said.**

Humming he walked along the concrete floor. 

**The courtyard** Venom encouraged. 

“What could possibly be there?”

**A memory.**

Avoiding the groups of people following the audio tour he made it to the courtyard or what was left of it. Partial concrete walls remained upright giving view to the vast ocean around them. It wasn't exactly the sort of place that he expected a good memory. 

**It is good** Venom assured pulling him to the backside of the wall that overlooked the sea. **There.** Venom placed a hand on the wall. An etching of _e +v_ in a heart was sloppily carved a little above eye level. 

“I did that?” 

**We did.**

Pinching his eyes closed he tried to remember. 

It could've been minutes or hours when he, at last, reached the memory. 

_He saw Venom carving the letters._

_“What are you doing?” he asked, keeping a lookout for passing visitors._ ****

**_Like the movies_ ** _Venom said. Laughing, he took hold of Venom’s claw using it as a knife to form the heart around it. Then there were hands pressing him up against the wall. The sound of waves hitting the rocks below muffled the words Venom whispered into his ears._

“What?” he blinked not knowing if the whispers had been just a memory or not. Just like his memory, he was pressed against the wall. Purring Venom crawled up his arm forming a small face. 

“Shouldn't you be hiding?” he gulped. 

**No one will see.**

He lacked the words to explain this anticipation he felt as his arms pinned to the side in a way that didn't feel all too unfamiliar. What exactly were they to each other? A host and a symbiote hardly matched the tension between them. It didn't fit with the narrative he’d been weaving with the bits and pieces he scraped up along the way.

In the last second Venom pulled back. The tips of his fingers tingled as he regained movement of them

“Venom?”

**We should go.**

Why did those words make his heartache?

In the dead of night as Eddie slept Venom slipped out watching the steady rise and fall of his chest. It had been a while since Eddie could’ve been thought of as just a host. As a symbiote, it had been the mission to seek out a host and scout Earth for possible habitation. Meeting Eddie had thrown that plan directly out the window.

He was a perfect host who became much more. Anne said to be patient but that was easy for her. Eddie still had memories of her. Memories so fresh that there was no need to dig around to find it. Memories of them laughing, sharing food,..things that they did together just days before the incident were gone locked up in Eddie's head. But even now the urge to pry open those locked doors was resisted. There were other memories chained up. Memories that leaked into nightmares if not reinforced. Already Eddie had one of those nightmares. 

Reaching out a tendril pushed back Eddie’s bangs; his hair was getting long. The offending hair stood out almost as a mock of the time passed, time forgotten.

Although on the outside it seemed Eddie was adapting to living the way they had been, resistance could be felt. And the slight twinge of fear in those eyes was far different from the Eddie they had been with. An Eddie that shifted between flipping off the entire world and devoting himself to fighting for those who couldn't fight for themselves. A loser with a hero complex. That was Eddie beyond a suitable host. The Eddie that pushed them to their limits, who teased and could handle being teased back. Eddie who said love with every molecule of his being. Underneath the blocked memories that Eddie still existed. 

Sinking back down into his skin Venom rested along Eddie's pulse.

**I love you.**

***

Dreams didn't stick around as the morning soon hit him in the face. Groaning he tried to roll over only to drop onto the ground.

**Eddie, what are you doing idiot?**

“What does it look like?” he grumbled, shielding his eyes. “Why is the shade open?”

**‘Cause, it's time to get up.**

“Ugh.”

If it weren't for the tendril hosting him back up onto the bed he would have remained on the floor.

 **No floor today** Venom said ushering in a plate of tater tots. **Breakfast time.**

“Thanks,” he said, taking the plate. 

If he ate like this every day it was a wonder that he wasn’t obese. 

**We get plenty of exercise** Venom assured before drizzling chocolate syrup onto the tots. 

Making a face he picked out a tot without the chocolate. 

**Chocolate is good. You like it.**

“Not as much as you do apparently.” He shook his head as Venom sucked the last remnants out of the bottle. 

**It's good.**

“I appreciate this” Venom smiled. “but-”

**No buts. Eat!**

“I don't feel hungry.”

**Body needs food.**

“Maybe so but it needs more than tots.”

**I added chocolate.**

Chuckling he pet Venom's head.

Surprisingly it wasn't as goopy as he expected. Mesmerized, he let his hand move over and over. Tilting into his touch Venom’s eyes closed. Such a familiar sensation so calm...so

“I,” he muttered slowly, retrieving his hand as those white eyes opened once more. Ignoring the pang of missing he stood up. It was beyond strange and awkward knowing that he couldn’t exactly walk away. 

“We are linked, right? So anything you eat is fine right?”

**Sure.**

He nearly felt ashamed watching Venom return the plate of chocolate tots into the fridge. Not having anything to occupy his hands he fiddled with the many leather-strapped bracelets on his wrist. There had to be a better use of this anxious energy. 

“Do I have a laptop or something?”

 **Of course,** Venom said proudly reaching out a tendril.

“I can get it.” Having someone do everything for him felt wrong.

**We are partners; not each other’s slaves.**

Why did it feel like he was constantly messing things up and why did he care so much what Venom thought of him?

“Okay,” he swallowed hard around the sensation of tendrils stretching from his hand.

Such thin tendrils he thought amazed at how they carried his laptop hidden amongst the books on his shelf over to him. 

“Thanks.” Flipping open the laptop he typed in the usual password only to come back incorrectly. Slowing down he tried again with the same result. That couldn't be right he'd used the same password for years. 

**Changed it** Venom said tendril already tapping on the keys. **Anniversary.**

“Of what?” 

**When we met.**

“Oh,”

With one tendril Venom scribbled the date onto a sticky note. 

Looking at the date he couldn't believe they had been in this situation for that long. 

**Don't lose it** Venom said, taking on the post-it note. 

_“How could I forget all this?”_

Snaking onto the couch Venom continued to eat tots. 

There had to be clues in this laptop. A mass of tabs had been marked from recipes to News crowded the screen. 

**Do not close this one** Venom said stilling his hand.

“What is it?” 

**Work.**

“I thought you said I didn't have a job.”

 **Never said that.** Venom pushed his hand away popping up a new tab.

Helpless he watched Venom typed _what to do about retrograde amnesia_

It became abundantly clear that all the tabs open were because of Venom. Each link was pressed in an onslaught of additional tabs so fast that he couldn't quite read what any article or top 5 listicles said. It was beyond unhelpful.

“Venom,”

Venom continued to type and scroll through tabs.

“Love?” he tested out feeling his heart flutter a bit. _“At least Venom stopped,”_ he thought as Venom smiled. 

**Remember yet?**

“No...sorry but this isn't more than doom scrolling.” 

Venom looked at the computer screen then at him. **I have an idea; watch movie.**

A movie didn't sound all that bad. “I’ll make popcorn... We have popcorn right or can you only eat tots and chocolate?”

 **Can eat many things** Venom said, already handing him the foil-covered pan of popcorn. It looked like something straight out of the ’80s.

“Why jiffy pop?”

**Ms. Chen gave it. Shopkeeper downstreet. It's good.**

“Stovetop popcorn” he chuckled. 

He felt a jolt the second he returned the knob to his gas stove.

“You alright?”

**Don’t like fire, it's lethal.**

“No kidding I can't believe this hunk of junk still works but I'll be sure to be careful.” 

**That's appreciated.**

A pleasant humming filled his head as they watched the first signs of popping. This really was like being with a really close roommate. 

**Don't let it burn,** Venom warned.

“A little burnt won't hurt.” 

Venom glared at him. 

“Fine, you win.” He turned off the stovetop. “Got a movie in mind -ouch”

 **Careful**. The slight redness of his skin instantly disappeared as black covered his skin one second and vanished the next.

 **Don’t waste our healing abilities on your stupidity.**

Shaking his head he dumped the popcorn into a nice safe bowl. Although Venom was looking at the tv he was sure that their attention was on him as he flopped down onto the couch.

“So ...what movie?”

**A good one might help with research.**

Research; he should have understood what Venom meant by that. As the movie progressed it almost felt silly seeking answers in an Adam Sandler movie but he had to admit he felt a bit like Drew Barrymore not knowing things. Luck was on his side to not have to wake up each day and living like it was the same.

 **That would be worse** Venom whispered, eyes glued to the screen. 

“It would be” he agreed.

Losing two years’ worth of memories was bad enough. If it weren't for Venom would he have been put in a similar place like the one she was in? Would he be hanging out with older folks who didn't even know their name? He shuddered to think what would've happened if Anne wasn't around either. What chance would he'd have back out on the streets or under his father’s thumb?

**Eddie.**

A black hand took his. A clawed thumb running over the back of his hand as he tuned back into reality. A strange reality that only confused the sparks of something that he could quiet place.

Eddie's head was jumbled again. Flashes of life before their union mixed with the taste of fear. They didn't need that. All the easy ways to soothe him were much harder now that Eddie didn't understand. He needed to understand that they were one; that no matter what life had thrown their way they would be together. 

**We are like Henry and Lucy.**

“What?”

Confusion, that taste was horrible like stale chips. Venom missed Eddie's usual cocktail of emotions, the slight madness, and euphoria of it all. When they were one when they chased bad guys and protected innocents. Anne said they couldn't save innocents while Eddie was confused but how long could they stay inside? Eddie wasn’t a trapped animal. The sooner Eddie remembered they could roam free. 

**We’re like them,** they repeated, pointing to the main characters kissing.

They missed kissing.

He looked at the tv not sure why Venom said they were like the two love interests. “Sure,” he said, feeling a strange powerful longing. The problem was he didn’t know what exactly he was longing for. To get his memories back should've been at the top of the list but he wasn't so sure this was that. 

**Just like them.**

He shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth. “Yeah photocopy,” he said as the credits rolled.

The mood shifted between them just like at Alcatraz. It did that a lot. Whether to run from it or confront it was still a debate. 

“Where did you come from?” he asked, deciding to quench some of his curiosity about Venom. **Outer space. Far away planet of my kind. Not as good as Earth with all this stuff.**

 **“** Cool so you're like E.T. and I’m Eilot.”

 **Were much better than them.**

“I don't know, E.T. was pretty awesome,” he said leaning back into the couch. “He could make people fly.”

Venom scoffed. **We can do better and you are afraid of heights.**

“Touche.”

 **We can do better than fly if you let us.**

“Maybe another time. They say you shouldn’t fly on a full stomach.”

**No one says that.**

He shrugged. “Maybe they should.” He shoved another handful of popcorn down. “How did we meet if you're an alien?”

**Venom. We are Venom, not an alien or a parasite.**

“Sorry.”

**Meet not long after you lost everything. Carlton Drake**

“That life foundation hotshot?”

He hated guys like that who flaunted wealth with stupid ideas like their own personal rockets. What even was the point of billionaires trying to reach mars?

“Let me guess he got awarded for finding another life form.”

**He exploded.**

“What!” he asked, thankful that he hadn’t choked on his popcorn. 

**Bonded with a bad symbiote.**

“That’s what happens?” he asked, suddenly filled with the urge to run and check on Anne. She had Venom roam all over her just the other day. 

**Anne is safe. She is strong but not as good as you.** Venom nudged his face. **She won't explode.**

“No exploding okay” he took a deep breath.

Jealousy had been one of those human emotions that didn't make much sense. Hunger, the need to procreate, that made sense on every evolutionary level. Sadness, happiness, and fear served functions but jealousy? They had not understood it when Eddie explained it. Jealousy was little more than a sour taste when Eddie experienced it watching Dan and Anne together. But their own jealousy felt like tiny flames both angry and frightening. 

Eddie thought so much of Anne since waking. Anne would be an ever floating thought but it wasn't like this. They were thoughts of friendship and laughing at dinner. Now images of the two holding hands or past arguments fluted by. Currently, Eddie’s world was revolving around his past. 

“Can I ask, why can’t I read your mind?”

**What?**

“We are connected so I was wondering why can’t I read your mind.”

**We don't read your mind it's not like a book. Don't hear the exact words. Can taste your feelings and see memories.**

“Oh..then why can't I see your memories?”

Eddie had never asked that before. They never needed to share their own memories. Every moment had been spent with Eddie. 

**You want to see memories?**

He wasn’t sure if it was the brightest idea to fill his head with another person's memories but he was curious. “If you want,”

Venom rose to eye level. **Nothing bad** they whispered placing their forehead on his.

Closing his eyes he felt a slight tug and then he saw the vastness of space. Stars dancing as he spun faster and faster until it went black and then he was looking at himself. A joy that was not his own trickled into his stomach in what could've been butterflies as his image said words that he couldn't hear. Feeling the tug released he opened his eyes. 

“Wow,” he panted as though he ran twenty marathons.

Venom spooled like a ball of yarn into his lap, their eyes closed. Now he knew symbiotes slept. Hand resting on Venom's head he too closed his heavy eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

“What are you working on over there?” he asked as Venom hogged the laptop while he did a simple workout routine.

 **Nothing. Keep going,** Venom insisted with a toothy grin. 

More and more he was getting the sense that Venom was up to trouble. 

“Only ten more reps!” the man on the tv encouraged.

Huffing he lifted his dumbbells over his head. Sweat dripped down his forehead stinging his eyes a little but he didn't care much. Working out was his own safe haven when everything in his world turned upside down he could push all the aggression out and mop it up along with his sweat. There was no thought behind lifting weights aside from the constant counting of reps and he needed that. Tonight he'd have to go to Anne’s for dinner. 

“Onto the next move!” The tv screamed.

“Should I be concerned?” he asked, pulling the strings of his hoodie. He half debated about dressing up for dinner but there was no fooling anyone that he wasn’t a walking disaster. 

**Nothing to worry about** Venom hummed slipping over him like a second layer. 

“Are you sure?” he questioned not giving into the newfound warmth. “You seem so pleased with yourself this morning.”

**Surprise.**

He rolled his eyes. “Love surprises.” 

Eddie tasted of worry. They were sure their surprise would be good. It would work and then they would be happy once more.

“What if we call in sick or just walk the pier?”

**No, Anne wouldn't like that. Don't be a pussy.**

“Pretty harsh words” he laughed.

Till now Venom’s words had been tame. More than once he wondered if Anne had asked Venom to be more delicate around him. 

**You're strong and sensitive not delicate** Venom said.

“Sensitive? No one has ever accused me of that. What part of me is sensitive?”

**You are sensitive about the innocents of this city. You protect and give yourself to them. Even those who won’t thank you.**

“I..” he didn’t know what to say. That didn't exactly sound like him. Of course, he cared about the immediate people in his life but every innocent in this city? He didn't think himself that heroic even if he broke a scandal to shed light on events that helped result in a criminal being captured back when he was reporting for the Daily Bugle. Helping out at a soup kitchen here and there did not amount to the pride in Venom's voice. 

**You’ll see** Venom hummed.

The edge of his fake leather jacket rubbed against his neck as they made it to their destination. Anne’s place was much better than his with her lawyer money and Dan's doctor money of course they could afford to rent the old victorian house without having to split it with two other families as most people did. Entering he was glad that it didn't look like his father’s place all gutted out and remodeled to the newest style. Anne kept the charm of the old building barely tacking on anything to its wallpaper walls beside a mirror in the front entrance and a tv mounted to the wall in front of a purely decorative fireplace. 

“You made it!”Anne smiled hurrying to pull him into a hug. “I wasn't sure if Venom was going to accidentally get you lost,” she said with an accusatory look. “You look a lot better.” She turned back towards the kitchen where he could hear Dan chopping.

“Dinner will be ready soon. No tater tots, I'm sure you're sick of them.”

**They're good** Venom argued. **Tell her Eddie.**

“They’re not bad.”

Knowing that it wasn’t wise to upset the person who he lived with while simultaneously thankful for the change of menu he looked around the place. Venom shifted out of the leather jacket form.

**We have a surprise.**

“Really?” Anne looked at him.

He shrugged

“Love surprises!” Dan added placing the fresh tossed salad onto the table. 

“This better be an appropriate sort of surprise” Anne warned.

**It's a good surprise.**

From blackened tendrils came a blank disc. 

“This hardly instills confidence” Anne laughed taking the disc without a second thought.

“ Let's eat first,” Dan suggested. 

Eating was hard when he could feel the fluttering excitement coming from Venom still he knew Anne would keep them all stuck at this table if he didn’t eat.

**Movie time!** Venom announced pounding on the table like a toddler demanding desserts. **Movie! Movie! Movie!**

“Sighing, he rose from his seat. “Better to get it over with,” he said to the couple’s quizzical faces.

Sitting on Anne's much softer couch he waited as Anne popped in the DVD. There wasn't even a need to press play as the movie started. Familiar songs played as images of New York shifted to San Fran. 

“It’s a slide show” Dan whispered as the first photo of Eddie appeared. “You made it yourself?”

Why did Dan sound so impressed?

 **50 First Dates.** Venom nodded.

He wanted to curl up as the half-blurred close-up selfies and screenshots of newspaper clips of articles he wrote for Daily Bugle. Then there were photos of him and Venom goofing off, covering each other's faces in pancakes batter posing at every possible tourist attraction in San Fran including Lumbard street of all places.

The excitement from Venom was rising they kept skipping their eyes from the tv to him. Pictures turned into short videos clips sharing birthdays here at Anne’s. He watched as he fell asleep at a beach only to be buried by all three of them. 

“I remember that” Dan chuckled as his past self broke free and tossed Dan into the water. 

**_Say it_ ** Venom’s voice came behind a shaky camera. 

“You are about the worst camera person ever” his past self laughed.

Say it!

“I don’t get why you're so fascinated.”

**Practice to be perfect for reporting again.**

Eddie laughed. “Fine if it'll get you off my back.” In the video, he took a breath and turned to the steadier camera. “This has been the Brock Report. There, happy?” 

_“I had my own show?”_ he thought. He wanted to ask more but as he looked at the screen he saw his arms wrapped around muscled black shoulders and lips pressed to Venom's mouth. And it wasn't like a chaste kiss but a proper one that made him squirm in his seat. 

“That's enough of that,” Anne said, turning off the tv. 

**It was getting to the good part.**

He didn't even want to know what good part they were missing out on.

Eyes trained to his hands he fiddled with the many bands on his wrist. His head refused to process what he saw. What could’ve possibly possessed him to kiss Venom like that? Was that even what he saw or had he just jumped to some silly conclusion? All those photos of them did look friendly but... 

**Eddie tell them to turn it back on** Venom complained.

Anne’s eyes held guilt like she had been the one who displayed what was definitely a personal moment in front of the entire world. _“Did she know?”_ he thought, feeling the past few days of conversation click together like mismatched jigsaw pieces. Did she know that he and Venom were like that? If that was the truth that made this all that more ridiculous. How could she just let him... 

Pressing a hand on his forehead he tried to stop the world from spinning. “Got anything to drink?”

“Yeah” she muttered to Dan to grab something. 

Without thinking he downed the cup placed in his hand. Burning his throat along the way. **Careful** Venom warned.

“Could you just disappear for a little?”

The deepest sense of sorrow filled him as Venom frowned. 

**It's supposed to help.** Venom nudged his chin. **You watch the rest. You'll remember.**

“This isn't like that movie,” he said a bit too harshly. “I...” He stood from the couch to give even an ounce of space between him and Venom. “I can't believe you would do this right when I thought I could get used to being a walking motel.”

“Eddie,” Dan and Anne said in unison.

“Thanks for the dinner, Anne.” She didn't need to see him like this. “I’m going home.”

Both Dan and Anne stood in his way.“You're being unreasonable,” Dan said with a half-smile.

Of course, Dan thought this was funny. He hardly needed help making a fool of himself.

“What’s unreasonable is expecting me to just accept all of this!”

Anger and confusion mixed like oil and water overlapping the realization that the Eddie they loved wasn't here. They really thought the movie would work. Up until Anne turned it off they could feel the slight shaking when Eddie contained a laugh and a flash of the first ounce of calmness since Eddie woke up at the hospital. Eddie was getting used to them but now they could tell Eddie wanted them to leave. Venom refused to leave him. Instead, they sunk back under his skin cradling around his heart.

All of San Fran seemed to have gone quiet tonight. For once he wished to have blaring car horns and squeeze between shouted conversations as he walked back home. With all this silence there was too much space to think and he didn't want any of it. It wasn't as if it mattered when Venom was still there able to access his ever-changing thoughts. Lost he continued to walk the streets. Alcohol called his name but there wasn't much cash on him to afford the hip bars with neon signs nor did he feel like company. Although he could find a liquor store he wasn’t sure if alcohol would help.

In his pocket, his phone insistently rang until he turned it off.

“What am I supposed to do?” he asked out loud but Venom didn't respond.

Desperately he tried not to think of the kiss if he did he'd have to confront things about himself that he had repressed for years.

“Fuck” he sighed snapping his leather bands. 

“Hey, pretty boy got some money?” A lanky teen asked, cocking his head to his two friends beside him. 

“Sorry don’t got what you're looking for,” he said clearly seeing that food money wasn't exactly on the top of this group’s list.

“Might if you let us help you look.”

“I'm having a bad night as it is. Mind a raincheck?”

“No can do.” One of the friends moved around to block his way. 

“Look at me,” he said. “Does it look like I'm made of money?”

“Any money is still money,” the other said cracking his knuckles. 

“Really?”

A fist connected with his face so hard that he stumbled into the second man. Headbutting the man he managed to dodge the next punch. 

“Don't make this any harder than it needs to be” said the first brandishing a gun. 

“Okay,” shakily he raised his hands. He wasn’t stupid enough to use fists against guns. 

“Really had to cause trouble,” the man aimed the gun at his leg.

Pinching his eyes shut he waited for the pain after the gun went off. When it didn't come he found himself encased in Venom’s black goo. 

**Puny guns are nothing but toys** Venom growled maneuvering his black clawed hand to crush the gun like a stale piece of bread. **Now run before we make you regret ever being born.**

Stumbling the trio rushed away. As they ran off Venom seeped back into him.

Shocked he ran his hand up and down his leg expecting to find a bullet hole or something. “You took a bullet for me.” 

**Guns don't hurt.**

“Even so...” He could still feel his heart beating a thousand miles a minute. 

**We do this all the time.**

“Get shot in the leg?”

Venom chuckled. **Told you we are protectors of innocent.**

“You crushed that guy's gun!” He exclaimed looking at the remains on the ground. 

**That's nothing** Venom said with a smile. **Could show you more**

He didn't know if he dared to ask what more meant but curiosity pulled at him.

 **You'll like it** Venom encouraged black tendrils crawling over his hands.

“Okay,” he gulped. Blackened claws in place shot out webs to the nearby fire escape.

**Going up.**

Like a grappling hook he rose mindful not to look down he watched the movement of tendrils. **We won't fall.**

“Where are you taking me?”

**Show you our work.**

Once on top of the roof, he felt Venom cover him completely. In the glass reflection, he saw the same muscled body from the video. His feelings over the form were quickly eclipsed by the increasing speed of their legs running closer to the edge.

“Wait! WAIT!” 

His legs bent in the last second before they launched over the space between buildings. By the third leap of death, he noticed the shift from fear to freedom. Doing this as a normal person was a one-way ticket to the morgue but with Venom maneuvering their joined form to the point he couldn't feel the harsh landing to its full extent it was exhilarating.

Eddie was enjoying their run. Easing further into connecting them they allowed Eddie to feel the air that rushed past them and the slight tug of gravity that came when feet lept the solid rooftop. Nervous laughter rumbled from Eddie. Smiling, they continued to roam the tops of the city.

That was far better than taking home Eddie laughed as he laid on the floor of his apartment. Chest rising and falling he couldn't imagine a better rin in his entire life. He had powers or more accurately he could borrow Venom's abilities. “I'm a superhero like Spiderman” he laughed thinking of the fit Jameson would have if he could see him.

Venom looked down on him. **Not Spiderman, we are better we are Venom.** Tendril cupped his face.

“Yeah” he pushed the tendril away. Venom frowned.

“Sorry I need a bit more time to deal with that.”

Obviously hurt, Venom stared at him. 

**We won't leave you** Venom promised.

He didn't know how to deal with that promise or the ache in his chest.


	4. Chapter 4

A week flew by in much the same awkward atmosphere. Eggshells would be heaven compared to what he felt that he was walking on around Venom. Hell, even razor blades would be like feathers in comparison. They had settled into a routine of moving about the apartment like a divorced couple sticking around until one could move out. If they were any more separated there would be a white line dividing everything in half. Most of the day he would feel Venom resting inside his chest as he typed out articles that he could hopefully sell to a newspaper or post on the Brock Report website that he found in the many tabs. If Venom was out then they ended up watching tv. Those moments were harder as he never knew what to say beyond a thank you for the meals placed on the dining table next to his work. 

**Eddie.**

“Yes?” he asked, trying not to choke on his orange juice. 

**We need to feed.**

“You can have some of this” he offered his charred scrambled eggs. 

**Not human food.**

“What do you mean?”

**We needed brains.**

“Like a zombie?” he asked, pushing aside his eggs.

 **We're better than that.**

“You're not joking?” he asked, feeling his stomach squirm. “I thought you said we were good.”

**We only eat bad guys.**

“What will happen if I say no?”

**Will grow weaker ... be unable to protect you.**

With his fork, he pushed around the eggs on his plate.

 **We can make it so you won't remember**. 

“No.” As much as he didn’t want to be an accomplice to brain-eating, the thought of being carted off like some blind marionette bothered him more. And he'd forgotten enough. Venom had been taking care of him all this time not pressuring him into delving into forgotten memories. Not even bringing up what they might have meant to one another. How could he just stay idle not chancing to remember things he wasn't ready for and deny what Venom needed to survive?

He had to try harder for both of their sakes. 

“You don't need to knock me out or whatever you have planned. We’ll do what you've always done before.”

**Are you sure?**

“Not really” he admitted taking his leftover eggs to the fridge. “But we have to do what's necessary right?” 

**Thank you.**

They had to take things slowly but it was killing them to hold back the needs that had become so second nature like the need to cover Eddie’s hands the second they turned cold or kiss him to ease the fidgety nature of his hands.

Venom really missed that wanted it far more than tater tots or chocolate or even biting off heads of bad guys. They wanted things back to how it was. How much longer did they have to wait? “What are we waiting for?” Eddie asked, nervousness still pouring from him. 

**Bad guy.**

Eddie fiddled with his phone scrolling until a scream for help came nearby.

Not taking a second to let Eddie ready they took control of their form bounding up the rooftop in search of the innocent.

Eddie didn't protest as they landed with a this in front of a man with a knife taunting a homeless man. He had little idea what to make of all this, he wanted to shut his eyes as Venom threatened the man and raised him by his neck. He didn't want to hear the way Venom's large tongue licked the man's face before with a sound much like a hard _pop,_ teeth bit down swallowing the man’s head in a clean motion. 

Above all, he didn't understand how he could be surrounded by Venom and not encounter the decapitated head but he could feel the effects of the feeding. He felt stronger, more alert and a bit of something else as tendrils moved around him. 

Their motion synced with him in a way that he didn't feel like a puppet being yanked around. If he flexed his hand so did their monstrous body. _“Symbiosis,”_ he thought remembering hearing about it. “ _Is this how it feels for Venom when they're on the inside?”_

“Thank you Venom,” the homeless man said. 

**You’re welcome** Venom smiled.

“That man just saw us kill a man and they thanked us?”

**We are heroes to the innocent.**

“Why did you choose me? I get the whole physical compatibility thing but there has to be others. Earth’s not a tiny rock” he said looking out through Venom's eyes as they sat on the top of the Golden Gate bridge. 

The lights of the city dotted the night like false starts. He couldn't believe he allowed himself to be brought all the way up here. 

**We understand each other.**

The words _used to_ should’ve belonged in that sentence; they both knew it. He still felt guilty for not gaining back the memories he missed. If things were switched the other way he might have left but Venom...

 **We would never leave you especially up here.**

“Do you need to eat more?”

**One is fine.**

“Don't hold back for my sake” he said with more confidence than he really had. Maybe it was his ability to justify that bad people deserved to be punished but at the same time, he couldn't stop thinking that beating up pinks in the street and killing them were two very different things. He could further justify it as a means of Venom's survival. But he knew neither of those held a candle to the real reason why he would look the other way; he liked the thrilling sensation that came from Venom. This feeling of unity was intoxicating. Knowing that someone was attuned to him on such a level that he felt safe in terrifying situations like this was something that he missed his entire life.

**Other ways to feel like this.**

“Like what?” 

Venom shook their head. **Nevermind.**

For hours they ran along San Francisco’s streets. It had been a slow night for crime apparently.

An annoying tingling had run through his head as they walked the Mission. Venom had rested over him in a leather jacket protecting him from the dropping temperature. Fuzzy flashes of a memory lingered neither clearing nor disappearing. 

“I hate feeling so damn...useless” he whispered watching his breath from a thin puff in the street lights.

**Not useless.**

“I do want my memories back. I.. I want to stop feeling in the dark.”

**We could hit you in the head hard.**

“I don’t think that’s how it works” he laughed, earning a smile from Venom. It should've been strange how fast he was getting used to things. Perhaps there was no other way but to move fast when you were literally attached. 

**We should try watching the video again.**

He should try watching the video again. He still wasn't sure about that.

Hesitation was annoying as much as the inability to bring back years forgotten. They could tell Eddie's head was still healing and with their feeding Venom knew that would speed up as safely as possible but there were no guarantees. Dan had told Anne that; they'd seen her memories when they bonded for a short while. If it weren’t for the stupid MRI machine. That painful sound they could've done more. 

“Hello?” Eddie waved a hand over their face.

Blinking they took in the apartment’s surroundings. 

Eddie relaxed slightly.“Are you okay? Did we eat some bad brains or something?”

We. They liked that word but not as much as when Eddie called them love. It was hard to be patient. It was painful to hold back. 

“Hey,” Eddie cupped their face. They leaned into the touch missing every moment of the rough fingers against them.

“Are you sick? Do symbiotes get sick?”

**We are not sick only thinking.**

“About what?” 

**You. Always thinking about you.**

Eddie looked away, his unsure hands still holding on. 

Days had been hard not talking as they should. They missed the laughter and teasing as much as kissing. They would always do what was necessary for Eddie no matter the cost. Eddie was theirs forever. Not even death would dare to try to separate them so forgotten memories couldn’t pull them apart.

“Thank you for taking care of me. I'm sure I wasn't the easiest person to help.”

Reaching out a tendril, Venom formed a hand turning Eddie's attention back in their direction. **We should get ready for bed.**

Ignoring the pounding of his heart he nodded. Venom slipped back out of sight as he turned on the shower. It was only when he was clothed once more that Venom reappeared. Tentacles wrapped around their own toothbrush. 

Venom lowered his toothbrush. **Do we frighten you?**

“No,” he turned away. “I mean,” he shoved his own toothbrush in his mouth. In the mirror, he watched Venom meticulously brush every sharp fang. _“Cute”_ he found himself thinking again. 

Curiosity or something else he didn't know what urged him to reach out and with the pad of his thumb wiped the little drop of toothpaste that clung to Venom's face.

There was something in the way Eddie's hand laid on them that was almost like the way he used to before. Space between them inched to a close. Eddie drew back quickly, rinsing before stepping out of the bathroom. Leaving Eddie alone they decided to settle on the couch. Sadly channel flipping was going to be tonight's routine again.

Eddie stared at the black string that corrected him to Venom that stretched out the bedroom door. Venom hadn't decided to come to bed. 

_“Maybe they have work to do”_ he tried to convince himself. Unsuccessful to trick himself into thinking he wasn't concerned about Venom not joining him he rolled over to face the wall. They didn't need to come back. “

Why would they?” he whispered to the wall. How many times would he put up with this if he were in Venom’s opposition? How long before sorry was not enough? When would be over fighting the truth? 

Hearing his own voice coming from the living room he knew Venom was now watching that movie. Guilt stuck hard as he heard their joined laughter. Quietly he left the bed tiptoeing into the living room. The screen of the laptop showed them smiling posing at an aquarium. This had to be where he first stopped at Anne’s. The song _I'll be_ by Edwin McCain played as photo after photo flashed. 

Moving towards the couch he saw tears roll down Venom’s face. Taking up the other side of the couch he watched in silence. He had caused Venom so much pain. How many times had Venom cried like this in the cover of night while he slept? He couldn't recall anyone who cried over him like this. Certainly, not his father or the one-night stands in his college days. Not even Anne- she wasn’t a crier but here this symbiote, Venom was openly sobbing for him, for them. Taking Venom’s hand he leaned close. This time he wouldn't fight it.

Venom could feel Eddie shifting closer again but kept their eyes on the screen. If they didn't, Eddie would move away again. Again and again, breaking their heart each time.

“Venom” Eddie whispered. “What would you do if I had all my memories?”

**Does not matter.**

“Please I don't like seeing you hurt.”

**We are just parasite to you.**

Hands turned their face. 

“Love,”

The word sent a thrill through them. Mouth opening slightly they captured Eddie's lips. Tension melted from Eddie encouraging them to slip their tongue into the kiss.

Eddie didn't understand how wonderful it felt to be dominated by the languid tongue wriggling within him. He should've been freaking out at the way it all but shoved down his throat but his body opened willingly to the intrusion. Tongue curling up to meet Venom’s air seemed so unnecessary and he could hardly hear anything aside from his heart mixing with the purr vibrating from Venom. Reaching back he steadied himself as Venom pushed ever so slightly more. Claws framing him against the couch’s edge. His voice came out in only muffled “hmms” as Venom's chest now pressed against his. Losing feeling in his arms he slipped from the couch only to be caught. Tongue retracting he panted staring into those large eyes.

**We got you.**

“Oh...” His head was so fuzzy either from being kissed so roughly or the lack of oxygen he wasn't sure. “I...”

 **Regret?** Venom frowned. 

“No...” he straightened up. 

**You like it can tell the way you taste the sounds-**

“Okay. Time out” he said making a t shaped with his hands. “I don't need a replay.” His cheeks were burning; any more of this and he'd have a serious problem. 

**Can take care of it.**

“No thanks.”

Venom scowled. 

“I'm not there yet okay?” he said, trying not to imagine... that. “I'm definitely not going to sleep tonight,” he said, staring up at the ceiling.

Disappointment was on the top of the list of what they felt. Venom wanted to explore every knock of Eddie's mouth more and make him unravel until their union was all he could think about. It was not good for Eddie to hold back. Closing the laptop venom switched on the tv. If Eddie wanted to leave then he could do so visible they watched the black and white show called the Twilight Zone.

“This one is a great episode.”

 **Don't spoil it** they hushed as a bandaged up woman cried about her messed up face. If they hadn't healed Eddie he might've been all bandaged up like that.

A flash of something ran across his head interrupting the episode. It might've been a memory but he couldn't catch much more than a glimpse of red and black.

 **Watch the show,** Venom said, sounding a bit worried. 

_“Venom’s keeping that memory at bay,”_ he thought 

**A bad memory.**

“Venom-” a tentacle wrapped around his mouth filling him.

**Don't think about that.**

Frustrated he pulled the tentacle away. “What if I need to remember what that was?”

**It’s upsetting.**

“I'm not fragile, I've lived through _very_ upsetting things.”

**We know.**

“Of course you know.” he huffed pushing against the couch so that it slid back as he got up. “Then you know I can handle whatever you are keeping from me!”. 

**You can't.**

“It can’t be worse than chomping on heads” he accused.

**That’s for survival.**

“Sure it is,'' he said, throwing up his hands.

**Don't challenge us Eddie you’ll lose.**

“Bring it on.”

It took little effort to wrap around Eddie's arms. Whipping his arms wildly, Eddie managed to break free. Grinning they reached for his feet. Quicker than humanly possible Eddie moved to evade his grasp.

 **_His body definitely remembered_ ** venom thought creating a more solid menacing form. Bunching his fists, Eddie smiled. They understood the need to expel the frustration that they both had. This wasn't the first time they sparred. 

**Don't hold back** Venom encouraged. Taking the invitation fists flew connecting against their chest at first tentatively then just a little harder. Mindful of their own strength they hit back.

“We've done this a lot before haven't we?”

**Yes.**

_“Incredible,_ ” he thought as he nearly missed getting clocked in the face. 

The amount of adrenaline from running across rooftops could only match the way it felt to spar with Venom. He'd never been much of a health nut or abide by super strict workouts but damn if he didn’t feel extremely strong fighting against Venom. Ever tendril escaped every his blacked was exhilarating. Although he knew Venom could easily render him nothing more than a puppet with its strings cut, this fight was going to be fair and with Venom's healing ability he didn't have to worry about getting completely mangled. 

“I thought you said you were going to win this fight” he laughed practically dancing out of Venom’s fists.

Venom stopped a broad smile playing on their lips. It took a whole second from the moment he looked down and he was falling onto his back. 

“Dam Tentacles” he groaned.

Venom hovered above him just as they did on the couch. How a moment could seem so long ago despite being no more than a few minutes was mind-boggling. Venom's chest moved in a mimic breath. Although Venom didn't produce body heat he could feel their muscled form occupying the warm space between them.

 **Give up?** Venom's question sent a shiver down his spine.

“Fuck” he muttered watching that powerful tongue peeked out from behind those sharp teeth.

**You have to say you give up so we can win** Venom teased hearing so that their lower half slightly brushed. Shutting his mouth tight he refused to vocalize what the action made him feel

 **Give up**.

“Fuck it” Hands clasping their face Eddie again brought them into a kiss. Excitement and arousal were so delicious as Eddie wantonly stared at them as they pulled away. 

**You said you weren't ready.**

“I'm giving up or giving in either way,” Eddie ground against them. 

**Like a pup in heat.**

“It's your fault” Eddie argued, repeating the motion.

 **Maybe we shouldn't give in to you** Venom teaser.

“You want this as much as I do right?” Eddie pushed them down mouth claiming their’s teasing with his puny tongue. Venom didn't believe he could switch his mind so quickly but his head was filled with thoughts of them uniting sparking few memories of past valentines and birthdays that ended in their entanglement.

Whether memories of his imagination Eddie he hadn't felt as turned on as he was right now. He felt like a desperate teenager trying to get this build of excitement out of his system. Tugging off his disgusting seater he caught the way Venom froze eyes raking over his exposed chest as if they hadn’t seen it before. Silently he begged that things wouldn't end here. If they wanted to Venom could hide away leaving him in this pitiful state. Thankfully that languid tongue swept over him drinking the beads of sweat along his face. Clenching his mouth shut he allowed Venom to lap at his chest. 

**We will stop if you continue to do that** Venom warned, stroking his tight set jaw.

“The neighbors-”

 **Will be jealous** Venom purred. 

Tentacles quickly freed the constraints of his zipper and slipping his aching need free that wonderful tongue enveloped his cock.

No amount of memory loss could change the way Eddie buckled to their touch or how his hands held onto theirs as they swallowed him whole. And nothing could alter the way Eddie's voice slid from barely audible moans to spouting profanity as they played with the sensitive part of his body. Like this, there was no difference between the Eddie they'd loved for two years and the one who barely stated to remember that time. Each beat of a pulse, each breath that came out shallow and wild was all the same

 **Love you** they whispered against Eddie’s ear as they pressed a sloppy kiss onto his neck.

This was a madness of the sweetest variety. Claws guiding over his skin; tongue leaving tracks all over him while tentacles appeared as they pleased to tease him more.

 **Love you** Venom said again making his heart skip as their teeth grazed against his ear. 

How he thought he could fight against this had to be the definition of insanity.

“More” he whimpered in a voice that sounded so unlike his own. This had to be a dream. This couldn't be happening... it was all too much, too maddening.

“More” he repeated.

In an instant, he felt the cold air against his now exposed lower half.

 **We’ll make you see stars** Venom said before he could even think to question it his ankles were lifted and spread apart. His heart drummed fast at the realization that Venom wasn’t like any lover he had in the past. Venom could maneuver him as easy as dough bending him to their will without pain. That was frightening. It was amazing.

A gentle prod at his entrance spurred on thoughts that hadn’t been touched on for years. A hint of lucid thought emerged but was soon shoved away by the lust as the tentacle entered him pressing up against a bundle of nerves that made him jolt into the cushions. 

“Fuck me!” 

Taking his yelp as instruction he felt the tentacle within him enlarge until he didn't think he could possibly take it and in steady thrusts, Venom pushed into him.

Joy and lust poured like beads of sweat on Eddie's face. They were doing a good job of holding back enough to maintain a more humanoid shape as they hammered into Eddie. Strings of cursing were uttered below but they knew they weren’t hurting Eddie. Eddie liked this and needed the slower movement between the rapid assault on his prostate. They wanted to draw out this moment for long as possible. Hands hooked around their head as a soft please reached between pants and sounds of their joining bodies.

“Finish.” Through half-lidded eyes, Eddie smiled. “Love.”

With one hard thrust, they hit their target causing Eddie to spoil between them.

Eddie venom asked as he slipped into a boneless mess.

Rapid knocking woke him up, his body felt tense and relaxed at the same time. The discarded clothing on the ground hardly needed to remind him what happened last night. Lucky enough there was a blanket draped over him.

“I’m coming in” Anne's voice 

“Shit! She has a key?”

 **For emergencies,** Venom said nonchalantly.

“Wait” he snatched his sweatshirt, tugging it on. The jiggling of the doorknob warned that he had mere seconds before Anne walked in on something she definitely didn't want to see.

“Where the hell are my pants?”

**Under couch.**

“Mind helping me” he huffed.

Venom’s head popped out but instead of helping secure his pants that would not cooperate Venom licked along with his Adam's apple.

“Cut it out.” He managed to zip himself up a millisecond before the door opened.

“Eddie-” Anne paused a bag of groceries balanced on her hip as she stood in the doorway.

“I'll help you with those,” he said, avoiding Venom’s smug face.

“What are you doing here?”

“I'm going to take you to the hospital. I told Venom to give you the message.”

**Must've forgotten.**

“Then we should hurry right,'' he asked, just tossing the whole bag into his empty fridge.

Anne needed to get out of the apartment somehow she’d know what happened. 

_“This feels like I'm cheating on her,”_ he thought before reminding himself that she was with Dan now.

“Everything alright?” she asked.

“Of course,” he said apparently not confidently enough because she looked at Venom.

“Is it?”

 **We are good.** Venom nuzzled against his chin. **We-**

“ate a bad guy” he interrupted. She definitely didn’t need to know the truth.

Anne took Eddie’s hand but they knew they didn't feel the flames of jealousy. After last night they knew Eddie was theirs once more. They were proud of their union.

“Been there you'll get used to it” she said with a sorrowful look.

Awkwardly Eddie smiled. Flashes of last night played over and over as they made it into Anne’s car.

“Mind if I put on some music?” he asked clicking on the radio. 

“Let’s get it on” sang the radio.

Quickly he switched over to the next channel.

“Love me like you do-” 

Again he pressed the station button. The smooth saxophone of Careless Whisper began to play.

The whole world was set out to embarrass him. 

“Maybe no music,” he said, turning it off.

“You don't have to be so nervous,” Anne said eyes focused on the road like a good driver.

“I don't?”

“Dan’s just going to check on you.” Her eyes moved to his black-gloved hands. “He’ll want another MRI.”

 **Don't want that** grumbled face forming in his hands.

“I know it'll be for a little while.” 

Black tendrils expanded over him into a jacket. 

**We must stay with Eddie.**

“It'll be fine. Twenty minutes tops.”

Disappointment rumbled through Venom until Eddie began to stroke their head. Puny human medicine couldn't compare to their healing abilities. They knew Eddie’s head was healing no need for painful machines but if he said they needed it they would listen.

“Twenty minutes” they agreed, easing into the petting.

“Seems like you patched things up,” Anne said while they waited for Dan and Venom to negotiate the arbitrary twenty minutes he said this would take.

“You could say that.” He ran a hand down his face. 

She was giving him that look the one that she always used when she wanted answers but preferred if them to come out without asking the question. He was sure that natural talent had motivated her to become a lawyer. Eventually, anyone would open up to that look. For him, it was a minute. 

“Anne I did something that I can't take back... I don't think I want to take it back. I wanted it, but then you so I, but you have Dan now so,” He took a breath. “I'm not making sense am I?”

“You hardly did when you got all mixed up.” She squeezed his hand. 

Talking about this wasn’t right.

“You know the main thing that broke us up? You were always in your own way.”

Before he could ask why she would say that Dan was ushering him into the MRI and she left with Venom.

**Don't like this** Venom said, unable to stop themselves from shifting from gloves to bracelets to a watch just so the tense energy wouldn't overcome them. 

“You need to relax,” Anne whispered.

 **Relax?** they asked, shifting to a phone-like form. Anne was very much less okay with looking like she was talking to herself than Eddie was. 

“Yes. I told you it's only a check-up.”

They couldn't relax. The last time they left Eddie to the machine he forgot all about them. 

“Eddie will be fine... I should be mad at you for taking him bad guy hunting.”

**He wanted to.**

“Has he remembered-”

 **No. He asked...** They shook their head. **We don't ever want him to remember that.**

They didn’t like remembering the way Carnage had beat him senseless before they were able to stop him.

“Prison isn't going to hold Kasady for long.” She started to pick at her nail but quickly shook her hand to stop herself. “I hope he can remember by then.”

**We'll keep him safe.**

“I know. Thank you.”

“Lay perfectly still,” Dan's voice said over the speaker. 

Sliding into the MRI brought up not-so-great thoughts of being buried alive. As the sounds buzzed around him and shook like an earthquake he understood why this would hurt Venom. Heck, it was painful enough on his own ears. Taking a breath he closed his eyes trying to trick himself into a nap but the space that Venom lived inside of him bothered him. Stiff as a board he tried to think of anything besides the lights and sounds around him. 

_“Last night,”_ he thought, pulling the memory of the way Venom held him. 

“All done. Coming out” Dan's voice said as the bedlike table exited the machine. 

Squinting brought Dan's smiling face into view. 

“Good news?”

“Very good.” Dan motioned for him to follow into the nearby room. The images on the screen looked more like a lava lamp than a brain. “You see, this was your first scan after the accident,” Dan pointed to the screen circling around major areas. “There was a lot of blunt force trauma and a bit swelling here and here. Now, most of the areas affected have shown drastic improvement thanks to Venom. I can even see that your emotional centers are healthy as ever- You seemed to be thinking of something pleasant towards the end.”

He hoped that he wasn’t blushing. 

“You should go tell them the good news. I have other patients to check in on. “

“Thanks, Dan.”

“Of course Eddie.”

Pushing open the door he found Anne pacing back and forth. Based on her annoyed face he knew that Venom was the one causing the action. The second her eyes saw him she let out an exasperated sigh. “There he is.”

Her feet stopped.

 **Late** Venom pointed to the clock on the wall that read 11:21.

“Well, I have good news. Dr. Dan gave me a clean bill of health.” 

“I'm happy for you,” Anne said, tiredly holding onto his shoulder. 

From their connection, he felt Venom’s tendrils branch off her and skin back into him.

“Let's get out of here so I can lay down. Venom was about to file down the soles of my shoes if you took any longer.”

He couldn't hear the rest of her complaining over the pleasant purring of Venom.

“I missed you too.” 

They were never going to let go of Eddie again. No more MRI, no more hospital, they were free and once Anne's footsteps left the staircase they were alone. Producing their humanoid form they picked up Eddie.

“What are you doing?” he laughed, hands hooked around their neck for support. 

**Going to take care of you.**

“Take care of me? Dan says I’m fine. I don’t need you carrying me.”

Venom smiled dropping Eddie onto the bed.

**Not that kind of taking care of.**

His head flashed with images of them entangled. Venom's smile broadened as they leaned forward. Again blips of memories that he didn’t remember flickered in his head. Within those blips, he saw Venom crying. 

Shame smacked him harder than anyone ever could. 

He’d been on the receiving end of being ignored and used by past lovers as nothing more than one-night stands. It didn’t seem to matter who it was, male or female they would have their fun and in the morning he’d be alone again. That wasn’t the life he wanted even if Venom wouldn’t get up and go he didn’t want their relationship to be one of convenience. What sort of relationship would that be if they used each other for release?

 **Thinking of us all day** Venom cooed, tendril lowering to caress his face.

Exploitive that’s what it would be if Eddie just laid here. They’d be destroying each other from the inside out falling into this habit of pushing reality aside.

 **What is it? Your head is all jumbled. Should we help focus?** Venom asked claws tugging at his pants.

“Stop.”

 **Why?** Venom asked, turning their attention to his face.

“This can’t be what you want.”

Tilting their head Venom stared at him as if trying and failing to pull an answer from his head. **Feels good.**

“For how long? This can’t just be what we are right?”

**We’re lovers. You don’t want to be?**

“I” he sighed, fighting over his body’s desire. “There’s more than just sex right? All those videos and photos that I can’t remember, that's what you really want right? Not some short-term fix.” Staring into Venom’s eyes he swallowed before speaking again. “And I want that too. We both deserve that don’t we?”

Eddie was right. They wanted everything that they used to have with Eddie but were willing to settle for this. This was so much easier to maintain and blocked out the sadness that came from Eddie not remembering. 

Pulling back they sat on the edge of the bed. **What do we do?**

Eddie pressed up next to them. “We start again?” 

**Won't be easy.**

“Nothing ever is.” Eddie’s fingers intertwined with theirs. 

Venom knew that Anne was right one day Kasady would break out and seek revenge on them and there would be others who would try to hurt Eddie. Starting again didn't just mean their relationship it meant bringing Eddie back into a world filled with constant danger. The constant worry that it would tear them away again would plague them. 

**There’s plenty bad out there. Many who want to hurt us.**

“I'll protect you if you protect me.” Eddie rested his head onto their shoulder.

 **Forever.** No matter what life threw at them they would always go back to Eddie and now they knew he would do the same.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
